Jimmy Page is among a slew of musicians who have paid tribute to The Yardbirds guitarist Chris Dreja. The two guitarists played together in The Yardbirds in the late 1960s. "I heard today of the passing of musician Chris Dreja, who passionately played with the iconic Yardbirds, on rhythm guitar and then the bass," Page wrote on Instagram. "I hadn't seen him in a while, and I wish I had. RIP Chris." Dreja's passing was confirmed on Thursday by his sister-in-law, Muriel Levy, in a post on Threads. "This is with a deep sadness that I have to announce that my brother-in-law Chris Dreja, former member of legendary band The Yardbirds, rhythm guitarist and also bass player, has passed away after years of health problems." The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer was a cofounder of The Yardbirds, a band that had a far-reaching influence on several generations of rock musicians. The band was best known for having Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Page in its lead guitarist role between 1963 and the band's demise in 1968. Dreja was originally a rhythm guitarist, but shifted over to bass after Page joined in 1966. He was invited to join Led Zeppelin but declined, opting instead to pursue a career as a photographer. Dreja suffered a series of strokes and retired from music in 2012.